Robin Williams once said that spring is nature’s way of saying “let’s party!” and we couldn’t agree more 😉 During this invigorating time make sure that not only the outside but also the inside of your house makes you want to rock. Follow our lead!
Step one: Let it grow, let it show
Spring heralds the return of the sun’s warmth, the renewal of life and the reappearance of green color everywhere. It is particularly important in 2017 which has been proclaimed the year of the greenery shade by the renowned Pantone institute.
What better way to bring verdancy into our décor than the actual greenery? None! Potted plants are probably permanent residents in your house (which is brilliant) but the upcoming season gives you an array of new possibilities. First of all, the choice of fresh flowers greatly expands and you don’t even have to go to the florist to get them – just take a look outside. Daffodils, buttercups, snowdrops, yellow anemones or tulips are only some of the flowers that become available at your fingerprints in spring.
However, before picking make sure they are not under protection in your area – in that case better get them from the nearest flower shop. Lauren Conrad, an authority on lifestyle and interior décor, advises to put one kind of flowers in one vase. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication so take a step further and instead of flowers go with tree twigs. Place a singular twig in a transparent vase or pot and let the fluffy buds burst out with greenery.
A TIP
If you want cut flowers to last longer, you can easily make your own “flower food” by mixing water with sugar, lemon or lime juice, and household bleach. These three ingredients will nourish your flowers, keep their stems open, and kill bacteria that could age them prematurely.
Step two: Outside in
Since you’re bringing the gifts of nature in, why not to do the same with furniture? For spring try furnishing your indoors with the outdoor pieces to imbue the décor with a refreshing vibe. A hammock or a rattan armchair will awake the memories of lazy, warm afternoons spent in the garden. With such cheerful and fancy accents at home you surely won’t let the hustle and bustle of big city life get on your nerves.
A wicker basket? Why not! You may use it as a plant pot or a convenient storage space. As wicker baskets are usually equipped with handles, they may be hung up on a nice decorative string (or, depending on your preferences, on a hemp rope). It looks chic and saves you a lot of space on the floor. Moreover, this creative trick allows you to turn your room into real Hanging Gardens of Babylon! To bite into the topic of spring DIY even further, set up a tent… inside of your house and get to work.
Step Three: Spring DIY
Everything awakens in spring – plants, animals, old feelings and… our creativity. You should use this joyful season to the maximum and pour some of your energy into making simple yet strikingly beautiful home decorations. Start with the absolute classics i.e. homemade flower pots and vases. Wicker baskets are nice for hanging up but if you want to get crazy on the ground – try colorful rain boots.
You may go all the way and actually fill the “wellies” with soil to plant something there or chose a simpler option and put a vase with fresh flowers or twigs inside. Either way, the effect is absolutely heartwarming! It is good to have some green on the walls too and we’ve got an idea. Take any leaves or flower-heads you like (the ones from your houseplants are also ok!) and press them for a couple of days between pages of any thick book. Just remember to locate every leaf separately between additional tissue papers. It will help to protect the book and evenly press every specimen.
Then, match the leaves with different frames and enjoy the result. Finally, crème de la crème of spring DIY – a terrarium. Besides a stylish and nature-related home accessory, a terrarium is also an excellent gift idea. You can make one of an empty fishbowl, a see-through teapot or even a lightbulb. This small ecosystem is nothing but a modern indoor garden. Repeating after Audrey Hepburn, “to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow”, so wait no longer to plant yours.
Step four: Make sure your rug blossoms
The flower-power had an impact on art and culture long before the crazy 70s’. There are not many things on this planet which can match the sheer beauty of blooming plants. Thus, no wonder floral and botanical motifs represent probably the largest and most commonly applied patterns on rugs. Unbound by time or geographical region, foliage appears in practically every weaving tradition – from antique Tabriz carpets, through opulent Aubusson rugs to minimalistic vintage Scandinavian rollakans.
Antique Persian Rug by Doris Leslie Blau
Samarkand Rug & Traditional Oriental Inspired Tabriz Rug
Interestingly enough, different flowers bear different meanings. In the Oriental tradition a lily stands for purity and spirituality, a peony indicates power, a lotus flower signifies rebirth and immortality, an iris constitutes a manifestation of religious liberty; a blossom is a symbol of youth, spring and a wish of luck for the newlywed couple; a tulip is supposed to provide prosperity, a hyacinth – regeneration, whereas a pomegranate denotes fertility and wealth. Not to mention more elaborate nature-inspired designs, such as the famous tree of life. A floral rug is a perfect way of bringing spring into the room, but, if we believe our ancestors, it can bring in much more 😉
Step five: Spruce up with colors and patterns
Spring is the perfect time for experimenting with patterned accessories and pronounced colors. You don’t have to repaint the whole apartment, but maybe one wall in a vibrant hue is worth considering? The same regards botanical wallpapers – too much of it may look overwhelming, but a small accented area (a side of a staircase or one wall) may positively surprise you. After being several years out of the loop, floral wallpapers have recently came back into designers favors.
We don’t understand why were they even out in the first place! If you’re not into renovations at the moment, simply invest in floral accessories. Colorful cushions and blankets will look smashing against a neutral couch. To turn up your window area, besides flowers on the sills and a terrarium hanging on a rod, put up floral curtains. After all, what better time to go wild with flowers than spring!
